title: Challenging the Tritope Model of T cell receptor structure-function relationships with classical data on 'super' and 'allo-MHC' antigens.
abstract: The response of the immune system to allo-MHC-encoded antigens and Mls 'superantigens' has been experimentally analysed in detail, but the data have not been coupled to a theoretical framework. It should therefore be instructive to see how well the newly proposed Tritope Model of TCR structure-function relationships deals with the signalling interactions between the TCR and the above antigens. We will pay heed to William Bateson's admonition, 'treasure the exceptions', by showing how a meaningful theory interrogates the data with the same validity that the data interrogate the theory. The concordances, as well as the contradictions, with the Tritope Model are a test of its heuristic value.
authors.affiliation: Conceptual Immunology Group, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D018089:Superantigens